Thursday, December 27, 2007

Do you ever feel like someone is watching you?Do we realize as Christians our lives are a message to the world? what kind of message are we displaying? Do we act like Christ in our walk, in what we say or do? Do we share the Gospel every opportunity we are given? I know I have failed Him in my walk at times. I wonder what kind of message I am showing to those around me. Many believe that Christ's return is not far off, are we prepared for His return? If He took you home today what treasures will you have to throw at His feet? When you look back at your walk, what do you see, if you look ahead what can you do?

I have been visiting blogs and listening to fellow believers and I know sometimes I hear such bitterness toward one another and it is disturbing me. I believe the world has us under a Micro-scope. They are keeping a close eye on everything we do or say. When they see us sin, they are ready to pounce on us and use it against us. They look at how we live our lives and associate it with "Our Lord" because that is who we say we are followers of. What picture of Christ are we showing to the world? There are many blogs today that are out there that are ran by Christians. There are those that glorify God and there are thoses that glorify man. There are those that stand up for "Truth" and there are those that demean standing up for "Truth".

We are to defend "Truth" by reading and studying "the Word of God" and being prepared to answer questions....

Ephesians 6:10-17 counsels us, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

When we present it, it should be in a manner of Humility and love and there is nothing wrong with being bold but as long as we show love.

(2 Cor 10:1-2 NRSV) "I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!-- 2 I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think we are acting according to human standards."

(2 Tim 2:24-25 NRSV) "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, 25 correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth,"

Definition:mi·cro·scopeAn optical instrument that uses a lens or a combination of lenses to produce magnified images of small objects, especially of objects too small to be seen by the unaided eye.

The world is like a microsope...it sees the smallest of our sins...We are being watched, very closely and examined.

My brethren, let me say, be like Christ at all times. Imitate him in "public." Most of us live in some sort of public capacity—many of us are called to work before our fellow-men every day. We are watched; our words are caught; our lives are examined—taken to pieces. The eagle-eyed, argus-eyed world observes everything we do, and sharp critics are upon us. Let us live the life of Christ in public. Let us take care that we exhibit our Master, and not ourselves—so that we can say, "It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me." —Charles Spurgeon !

The world is watching....................

Cristina1 Corinthians 11:1, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."

Saturday, December 22, 2007

The other day my youngest daughter called me at 11:30 at night because she was upset that she thought she lost her new winter coat. She had paid quite a bit of money for it because she wanted one that would last a few year. I said to her, "Dani-girl lets you and I pray about it tonight and ask the Lord to find it for you and call me in the morning and we will see what happens. We both know that God is able to find it for you." She said "okay mom", and we said our goodbyes. The next morning Dani called me, and the first thing I noticed was the cheerfulness of her voice, she then proceeded to tell me that she found her coat. Her boyfriend was doing a Plumbing job and she was with him and left it there. The man called that morning to let her know. I said,"Now Dani, who do we have to thank for this and she said joyously, The Lord!".

For the past few years my father has had heart problems and every heart attack he has had, I have asked the Lord to spare him and give him a few more months. The Lord has been so gracious by giving us more time with my dear dad. My dad has had at least 8 hear attacks and is still with us. Who do we have to thank, The Lord!

My husband has diabetes and has struggled throughout the years with keeping to his diet and keeping up on his meds and it has been worrisome for me. Sometimes the Lord gives us a wake up call to make us realize how important it is to take care of ourselves. This past week my husband lost a toe because of it and could have lost more. He now is taking better care of himself and starting to heal. Who do we thank for this, The Lord!

The reason I am sharing this is because I want to get across how we need to thank the Lord for the little things and the big things . When my daughter found her coat, it was exciting me to see the Lord's work, and for her to see it. When my dad was spared each time, it brought me to tears each time because I seen the work of the Lord in all this, He hears my pain and He answers my prayer. I know some day my dad will die but as I said the Lord is so gracious. When I look at what the Lord did to show Jim how serious it is not taking care of himself, I look up and praise him because we both know it could have been worse for Jim.

We have so much to be thankful for and sometimes I don't appreciate the Lord enough. He has been so good to me and my family. When I think of this season and what it represents I am so thankful that God took a simple woman to conceive and bear a son. A son that would grow up to bear the sins of His children on the cross. A son that did not deserve what He suffered, but went willing to the cross because He loved us that much. And even now the love and grace He shows is shown moment by moment as we struggle living in the foreign land. We all look ahead and think of that day we will enter eternity and will be sitting at the feet of our dear Lord, praising Him for eternity.

Thankfulness, yes we have so much to be thankful for. I am most thankful for the Christ-child, praise His Holy name! May all that know Him as their Lord, take this time to reach out to those around you that do not know Him and share the greatest story ever told!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Christ came to take away our sins, to roll off our curse, to unbind our chains, to open our prisonhouse, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Is not this joy? Where can we find a joy so real, so deep, so pure, so lasting? There is every element of joy - deep, ecstatic, satisfying, sanctifying joy - in the gospel of Christ. The believer in Jesus is essentially a happy man. The child of God is, from necessity, a joyful man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his conflicts are victories, his death is immortality, his future is a heaven of inconceivable, unthought-of, untold, and endless blessedness. With such a God, such a Saviour, and such a hope, is he not, ought he not, to be a joyful man? Octavius Winslow

REJOICE........

Luke 2: 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

REJOICE.......

From Spurgeon's, "The Parable of the Lost Sheep""Who for the JOY that was set before him endured thecross, despising the shame."

A great sorrow was on Christ when our load of sin was laid onhim, but a greater joy flashed into his mind when he thoughtthat we were by his death, recovered from our lost estate.

He said to himself, "I have taken them up upon My shoulders,and none can hurt them now, neither can they wander todestruction. I am bearing their sin, and they shall never comeinto condemnation. The penalty of their guilt has been laid on Me that it may never be laid on them. I am an effectual and efficient Substitute for them. I am bearing their sin, that they may never bear My Father's righteous anger."

His love to them made it a JOY for him to feelevery lash of the scourge of justice!

His love to them made it a delight thatthe nails should pierce his hands and feet!

His love to them made it a JOY for him thathis heart should be broken with the absence of his Father, God.

Even "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"when the depths of its woe have been sounded,will be found to have pearls of joy in its caverns.

No shout of triumph can equal that cry of grief, because ourLord joyed to bear even the forsaking by his Father, for thesin of his chosen ones, whom he had loved from beforethe foundation of the world.

Oh, you cannot understand it except in a very feeble measure!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."